1.
Ireland
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Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles, the third-largest in Europe, and the twentieth-largest on Earth. Politically, Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland, which covers five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, in 2011, the population of Ireland was about 6.4 million, ranking it the second-most populous island in Europe after Great Britain. Just under 4.6 million live in the Republic of Ireland, the islands geography comprises relatively low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain, with several navigable rivers extending inland. The island has lush vegetation, a product of its mild, thick woodlands covered the island until the Middle Ages. As of 2013, the amount of land that is wooded in Ireland is about 11% of the total, there are twenty-six extant mammal species native to Ireland. The Irish climate is moderate and classified as oceanic. As a result, winters are milder than expected for such a northerly area, however, summers are cooler than those in Continental Europe. Rainfall and cloud cover are abundant, the earliest evidence of human presence in Ireland is dated at 10,500 BC. Gaelic Ireland had emerged by the 1st century CE, the island was Christianised from the 5th century onward. Following the Norman invasion in the 12th century, England claimed sovereignty over Ireland, however, English rule did not extend over the whole island until the 16th–17th century Tudor conquest, which led to colonisation by settlers from Britain. In the 1690s, a system of Protestant English rule was designed to materially disadvantage the Catholic majority and Protestant dissenters, with the Acts of Union in 1801, Ireland became a part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland saw much civil unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s and this subsided following a political agreement in 1998. In 1973 the Republic of Ireland joined the European Economic Community while the United Kingdom, Irish culture has had a significant influence on other cultures, especially in the fields of literature. Alongside mainstream Western culture, an indigenous culture exists, as expressed through Gaelic games, Irish music. The culture of the island shares many features with that of Great Britain, including the English language, and sports such as association football, rugby, horse racing. The name Ireland derives from Old Irish Eriu and this in turn derives from Proto-Celtic *Iveriu, which is also the source of Latin Hibernia. Iveriu derives from a root meaning fat, prosperous, during the last glacial period, and up until about 9000 years ago, most of Ireland was covered with ice, most of the time
2.
Inishowen
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Inishowen is a peninsula in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. It is the largest peninsula on the island of Ireland, Inishowen is a picturesque location with a rich history. The peninsula includes Irelands most northerly point, Malin Head, along with Lagg sand dunes and it is bordered to the north by the Atlantic Ocean, to the east by Lough Foyle, and to the west by Lough Swilly. It is joined at the south to the rest of the island and is mostly in County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland, the peninsula is separated from the rest of Northern Ireland by the River Foyle. After the last ice age the peninsula was an island, other major hills are located in the Malin Head peninsula, as well as the Urris Hills in west Inishowen. Inishowen has several harbours, some of which are used for fishing purposes, including Greencastle, Bunagee. A seasonal ferry service crosses the Foyle, connecting Greencastle with Magilligan in County Londonderry, while another crosses the Swilly, the village of Fahan has a privately built marina. Inch, located in Lough Swilly, is no longer an island, as it has a causeway connecting it to the mainland at Tooban. Lough Swilly is a fjord-like lough, and was of importance for many years to the British Empire as a deep-water harbour. It is also famous as the point of the Flight of the Earls. The outline of this land is plainly visible due to its flatness proving a marked contrast to the mountainous area surrounding it. Predating the formation of County Donegal by centuries, the area was named Inis Eoghain after Eógan mac Néill, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, whose name was also used for Tyrone. Later, after the decline of the Meic Lochlainn, the chieftainship of Inis Eoghain was usurped by the Ó Dochartaigh clan, Inishowen has many historical monuments, dating back to early settlements, and including the ruins of several castles, and the fort at Grianán Aileach. The ancient Grianán Ailigh fort at Burt was the one seat of the High Kings of Ireland. It was restored in the century, although some damage in recent years has resulted in the partial collapse of the south side wall. Among the main ruins of Inishowen are Carrickabraghey on the Isle of Doagh. In 1196, John de Courcy, an Anglo-Norman knight who had invaded Ulster in 1177, defeated the King of the Cenél Conaill, two years later he returned to devastate Inishowen. However, in subsequent campaigns de Courcy was defeated by the ONeill clan led by their chief Áed Méith, in 1608 Sir Cahir ODoherty, the last Gaelic Lord of Inishowen and a former ally of the Crown, launched ODohertys Rebellion by burning Derry
3.
Cahir O'Doherty
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Sir Cahir ODoherty (Irish, Cathaoir Ó Dochartaigh, was the last Gaelic Lord of Inishowen in north-west Ireland. ODoherty was a noted loyalist during Tyrones Rebellion and became known as the Queens ODoherty for his service on the Crowns side during the fighting, in 1608 he launched ODohertys Rebellion, seizing Derry from Paulet and burning it to the ground. ODoherty was subsequently killed in a battle at Kilmacrennan, and the rebellion swiftly collapsed, Cahir was the son of Sir John ODoherty, the head of the ODohertys and effective ruler of Inishowen. Cahirs younger sister was Rosa ODoherty who first married Cathbarr ODonnell and he was fourteen when his father died and had to spend the next few years gaining control of his lordship. Cahirs foster father was Phelim Reagh MacDavitt, Cahir was knighted by Lord Mountjoy, and for a time seemed prepared to work amicably with the English authorities, he found a strong supporter in Sir Henry Docwra, the first Governor of Derry. Paulet was accused by some of goading ODoherty into rebellion by a series of insults, niall Garve ODonnell, previously a loyal supporter of the English Crown, was also accused of supporting the rebellion. Taking revenge on Paulet was perhaps a sufficient motive in itself, ODoherty was killed near Kilmacrennan following a skirmish with a counter-attacking force under Lord Powerscourt His severed head was apparently displayed in Dublin for some time afterwards. Niall Garve ODonnell and his son Neachtain were arrested and sent to the Tower of London, the Flight of the Earls, An Illustrated History, Gill & MacMillan,2002. Catholicism in Ulster, 1603-1983, An Interpretative History, university of South Carolina Press,1994. ODoherty Coat of Arms Doherty Clann
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